Latching mechanism



C.PEARS0N.

LATCHING MECHANISNI.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18| 1919.

Patented Aug. 8, l1922.

4 ff fr 10 14 MIMI III

' ,1 :vll 111.7/

CHARLES PEAEsON, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNoE To INTERNATIONAL EAR vEsfrEE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OE NEW JEEsEY. v

LA'rcHINe MECrIANIsIrr.r

Application led September 18, 1919.

To all tti/wm t may concern f Be it known that I, l@immens PEARsoN, a citizen of the United States7 residing at Chis cago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois7 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latching Mechanism,

elements is properly positioned with respect to the other. y

A further object is to provide means whereby two elements may vbe securely locked together` in engagement with each other; and a still further object is to provide latching mechanism which may be locked in either open or closed position.

The: latching mechanism by means ot which the above objects are carried out comprises a latching member which is in this instance pivoted intermediate its length, and

'a latch controlling member which is movable with respect to the latch, and is adapted in its dit'erent'positions of adjustment to hold the latch in open position, to hold the latch in closed position and to permit `free movement of the latch about its pivot.

One embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in these drawingsl Fig. 1 is a top plan view.v partly in section, showing my improved latching mechanism in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the latch held in open position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 .is a vertical sectionalview taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. looking in the direction` of the arrows; and

5 is an elevational view showing a portion of the frame member to which the latching member is secured.

1n the embodiment of the invention shown, the latch is carried by a frame mem- Specification of Letters Patent.

'having flanges 11 and l2.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

serial No. 324,475.

ber which is preferably formed of channel iron as shown in .F 1, this member The latching mechanism 1s secured betweenth'e tlanges 11 and 12, being carried by a casting 13 which is securely bolted to the vertical web of the channel member 10, as shown at 14. The casting 13 is provided withllateral flange portions 15 adjacent its rear ends, these iange portions having aligned transverse` apertures 16. The latch isl pivotally mountn ed on a pair of oppositely disposed pivot members 17 which are inserted into the apertures 16 against the pressure of two oppositely disposed springs 16, the purposes of which are hereinafter described. pivot port-ion or barrel 18 is mounted for tree oscillation on thc pivot pin 17. The latch extends on both sides ot the barrel portion 18, forming a lever, one end portion 19 having formed on its end an offset latching portion 2O and the opposite end ot the lever or latch having a recess or pocket 21 formed therein for the reception of a j spring` 22 which is interposed between the base of the pocket andthe portion of the wall o t the channel member 10. as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Means has been provided for controlling the position of the latching lever in such a' manner that the latch may be locked in open or closed position, or may oscillate freely about its central pivot. This controlling means comprises crank member 23 which The latch is screw-threaded on one end., as shown at 24, vthis screw-threaded portion 24 passing through an elongated aperture 25 'formed in a vertical web of the channel member 10 and being received by screw-threaded aperture 26 formed in the barrel portion 18 of the latch. This crank member 23 is held in the'different positions of adjustment by the two oppositely disposed springs 16 which engage the threaded portion 24 of the crank member. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, the screw-threaded aperture 26 is formed obliquely in the latch and is also inclined with respect to the plane indicated by the line 4 4 when the latch is disposed in its open or closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The latching portion 20 of the latching lever is adapted to engage an oft'- set lug 27 which is formed on the free end of a supporting member or frame member 28 which is adapted to be connected by the latch with the channel member l0. The various positions of adjustment 'of kthe latch are shown in Figs. l to 8,-inclusive, Fig. 1 showing the latch controllingmember 23 in the position assumed when theY latch is positively locked in latching position. rlhe'inclination or vthe aperture 26 formed in the barrel portion 18 or the latching lever causes the portion 'i9Y oiI the lever to be swung inwardly toward the vertical web of thel frame member l0 when the crank is thrown to the left, as shown in F ig. l. Vhen the crank is swung to an intermediate position, as shown `in dotted lines in Fig, 2, it will be disposed in a posif,

tion out `of engagement with the vertical web l0. and the latch. Yireely swings on its pivot pins 17, the spring 22 tending to 'force the latching` portion 19 ofthe latch towardv the vertical, web of the member l0. lhen the controlling member is in `this inter-.-l

mediate position, the supporting member 28 may be forced rearwardly. into latching position, and when it comes into this position thelatch will be swung outwardly against the tension ot vthe-'spring 22 until thezlug 27 has been moved to its rear position, whereupon the latch will be forced inwardly again by the spring to the Josition shown in dotted lines-1n Fig. 2. Wien the l controlling member 23 is swung to the extreme right, as shown vin Fig. `2L in full linee',v the latch will be posit-ively moved to its open position, being forced outwardly against the tension of the spring 22;] When .thelatch is in `this position, the support or frame member 28 may be moved topa latching position and when it has reached that positionthe controlling` lever may be again swung to the left, thereby positively .locking the member lO and the member 28 together.

From the above description of the construction and operation of my improved latching mechanism, it will be seen that l have provided a latch which may be positivelylheld in either open or closedposition` or which may be so adjusted that it ,may be oscillated freely about its pivot. This forni oi' latch has been found especially-satisfactory for coupling implement frame members modificatioilis` and changes may be made without'departing irom the spiritiand scope l. A latching mechanism comprising in combination a pivoted latchingmemberfresilient means for forcing said latehng memberin one direction about its pivot and controlling means having an oblique pivotal connection with said member for locking the member in open position against the tension of said resilient means.d

2. A latching" mechanism comprising in combination a pivoted latching member 'and controlling means l'for saidlatching member pivoted tov'said latching member on any inclined to a plane perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said latching member., i

3.y A, latching mechanism comprismof in combination a pivoted latching member Uavj ing a screw-threaded aperture therein ina clinedwwithl respect to thepivotal, axis ofsaid memberJ and controllingy means ,for .said latchin'g member having screw-tlneaded j enf. gagement withthe screw-threaded aperture in saidl member. v v j j .V

4.-. A. lat'chiiig' mechanism comprising in` combination a pivoted latchlng memberaiid a cranlmember inclinedthereto Aand having screw-threaded engagementtherewith for controlling the position of said latchingV member. .j

5. ln a latchi'ng mechanism, thecombination of a. 'fram'emmemben' a latolrV pivoted y thereto, alcranl: engaging the frame member` and pivoted tothe latch onan axis oblique toA and intersecting the pivotal airis thereof, whereby the latch 'will be held close in one position 4of the,crank,Yopeninaniother position oi' the crank, and bey'free tooscillateonv its pivot in an'.intermediate position of the crank. 'Y I ,n n. y', ...i I* y 6. 1n a lashing mechanism, the. .cambintion of a ramejmember, latchI pv'oted` ios thereto, anactuating leveryp'ivoted to the latchonan oblique axis4 andadaptecl when in onepositionofyajustmentto hold; the

latch cl'osechlin ano,therv plosjit'ion rtohold latch. open, and in athiul position to permit 7*. A lat'ching mechanism.y comprising in combination a pivoted latching memberfa crank member having a screwthreaded -con,-

`nection therewith, thejaxis of I joltjationn-of -said crank member `being sol inclinedy with' respect to the4 pivotal a-.Xis'of said latching member:thatl said crank member when in one position of adjustmentwilhloolrsaid llatching membenin 5closed. positio'nwhen" in another Uposition lof adjustment (will ylool;4

said membery in open position Land wllienf,` in

a third position yof ladjustment permit free oscillation of `*said latchon its pivot. I.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

y 'oiiARLns PnARsoiv. 

